Rifle sling with stabilizing loop

ABSTRACT

The rifle sling with stabilizing loop includes a central loop having a forward portion and a rearward portion. The forward portion is flexible, and the rearward portion is substantially stiff, thus maintaining the central loop in an open, non-collapsed state. The rifle sling further includes a forward strap having opposed first and second ends, the first end being adapted for releasable attachment to a forestock of a firearm, the second end being fixed to the forward portion of the central loop. A rearward strap is further provided, the rearward strap having opposed first and second ends. The first end of the rearward strap is adapted for releasable attachment to a butt of a firearm, and the second end of the rearward strap is slidably secured to the rearward portion of the central loop.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/472,735, filed Apr. 7, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to firearms, and particularly to a riflesling with stabilizing loop having a non-collapsible loop forstabilizing the elbow of a user's arm when firing a rifle.

2. Description of the Related Art

Rifle slings for stabilizing the elbow of an individual firing a rifleare known. Such a rifle sling 100 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The riflesling 100 includes a continuous, endless loop 134 having a fixed length,the loop 134 defining a forward portion 140 and a rear portion 141. Therifle sling 100 further includes a forward strap 135 and a rearwardstrap 130. One end 132 of the rearward strap 130 is connected to asleeve 133 that encircles and slides along the rear portion 141 of theloop 134. The other end 131 of strap 130 is connected to the butt 123 ofthe rifle R.

The forward strap 135 extends through a buckle 136, then through eyelet121 on the forestock 122 of rifle R, back through the buckle 136,terminates in a free end 139. The opposite end 137 of the forward strap135 is rigidly connected to the forward portion 140 of the loop 134. Theforward strap 135 permits adjustment of the distance from the forestock122 to the forward portion 140 of loop 134. This permits the sling to beadjusted to fit individuals of differing statures, arm lengths, etc.

Typically, the sleeve 133 slides along the loop 134 so that the sleeve133 may be in a first position on the rear portion 141 when the rifle isbeing carried with the sling 100 extending over a shoulder of anindividual in conventional fashion, and may be in a second position onthe rear portion 141 when the rifle is being fired in the mannerillustrated in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 3, one hand 52 of the shooter is positioned behind the eyelet121 on the forestock 122 (i.e., in front of the butt 123) of the rifleR, while the elbow and/or upper arm 51 is nestled and seated in theendless loop 134. The elbow 51 draws the forward strap 135 and the loop134 taut to steady the rifle R. It should be understood that slingssimilar to sling 100 may be used with other types of weapons, such asshotguns, and their use is not limited to use with rifles.

Such slings such as the sling 100 include flexible straps formed fromfabric or the like. Due to the flexible nature of the straps, the loop134 is often in a collapsed state. Thus, insertion of the user's arminto the loop 134 is relatively difficult and time consuming. Whenhunting, though, time is typically of great importance, as a hunteroften must don the strap as soon as prey is spotted.

Thus, a rifle sling with a stabilizing loop solving the aforementionedproblems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The rifle sling with stabilizing loop includes a central loop having aforward portion and a rearward portion. The forward portion is flexible,and the rearward portion is substantially stiff, thus maintaining thecentral loop in an open, non-collapsed state. The rifle sling furtherincludes a forward strap having opposed first and second ends, the firstend being adapted for releasable attachment to a forestock of a firearm,the second end being fixed to the forward portion of the central loop. Arearward strap is further provided, the rearward strap having opposedfirst and second ends. The first end of the rearward strap is adaptedfor releasable attachment to a butt of a firearm, and the second end ofthe rearward strap is slidably secured to the rearward portion of thecentral loop.

These and other features of the present invention will become readilyapparent upon further review of the following specification anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a rifle sling withstabilizing loop according to the present invention, shown with therifle in a firing position.

FIG. 2 is an environmental, perspective view of a prior art rifle sling.

FIG. 3 is an environmental, perspective view of the prior art riflesling of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the rifle sling of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the rifle sling of FIG. 1, showingdetails of the central loop.

FIG. 6 is an environmental, perspective view of the rifle sling with astabilizing loop according to the present invention, shown with therifle slung over the shoulder.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistentlythroughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The rifle sling with stabilizing loop, the sling being designatedgenerally as 10 in the drawings, is best seen in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5.Similar to the prior art rifle sling 100 described above, the riflesling 10 includes a central loop 34, a forward strap 35 and a rearwardstrap 30. As best shown in FIG. 5, one end 32 of the rearward strap 30forms a loop or sleeve 33, which encircles and is free to slide along arear portion 41 of the central loop 34. As shown in FIG. 1, the oppositeend 31 of the rearward strap 30 is connected to the butt 123 of therifle R. It should be understood that the rifle R is shown for exemplarypurposes only, and that the rifle sling 10 may be applied to anysuitable type of weapon, including shotguns and the like.

The central loop 34 includes a forward portion 40 and rearward portion41. As opposed to prior art sling 100, the rearward portion 41 of thecentral loop 34 is formed from stiff, but flexible material, rather thanbeing formed from a loose strap or the like. The forward portion 40 ispreferably formed from the joining of flexible straps 60, 62, as shownin FIG. 5, which may be formed from leather, nylon, fabric or the like.The relatively stiff rear portion 41 may be formed from leather cord,rubber, rope, flexible plastic or the like. As opposed to the flexiblestraps used in the prior art sling 100, the relatively stiff rearwardportion 41 maintains the central loop 34 in a non-collapsed state, thuskeeping the central loop 34 open and accessible at all times.Preferably, the stiff rearward portion 41 has a substantiallysemi-circular, arcuate profile, as shown.

The forward strap 35 is fixed at one end 39 to the forward portion 40 ofthe central loop 34 by stitching or the like, as shown in FIG. 5, andthe opposite end 38 is attached to the forestock 122 of the rifle R. Inorder to adjust the length of the forward strap 35, a plurality ofadjustment apertures 12 may be formed therethrough. The forward strap 35may be folded or looped and held at a desired length by a Chicago screw14 or similar fastener. The adjustable length of the forward strap 35permits the sling 10 to be adjusted to fit individuals of differingstatures, arms lengths, etc. The free end 38 of the forward strap 35terminates in a swivel or any suitable type of connector for releasableattachment to the forestock 122 of the rifle R.

Similarly, the rearward strap 30 preferably also has an adjustablelength. A plurality of adjustment apertures 16 may be faintedtherethrough. The rearward strap 30 may be folded or looped and held ata desired length by a Chicago screw 18 or similar fastener (a Chicagoscrew has an internally threaded socket extending from a first disk anda threaded stud extending from a second disk, which forms the head ofthe screw, so that the disks retain the screw in the aperture 16). Itshould be understood that the rearward strap 30 and the forward strap 35may have any suitable type of length adjustment, such as buckles, hookand loop fasteners, hooks or the like.

The rearward strap 30 forms a loop or sleeve 33 at one end 32, asdescribed above. This allows the loop or sleeve 33 to slide along therearward portion 41 of the central loop 34. FIG. 6 shows the rearwardstrap 30 in a first position with respect to the central loop 34. InFIG. 6, the rifle R is being carried with the sling 10 extending over ashoulder of the user. In this position, the loop or sleeve 33 issubstantially centrally located on the rearward portion 41 of thecentral loop 34. FIG. 6 also illustrates the use of a Chicago screw 18to form the length adjustable loop 32 via apertures 16. Similar to therifle attachment end 38 of the forward strap 35, the rifle attachmentend 20 of the rearward strap 30 terminates in a swivel or any suitabletype of connector for releasable attachment to the butt 123 of rifle R.In FIG. 1, the sleeve or loop 33 at the end 32 is circumferentiallyadjusted with respect to the rearward portion 41 of the central loop 34when the rifle R is being fired.

In use, as shown in FIG. 1, one hand 52 of the user is positioned behindthe eyelet 121 on the forestock 122 (i.e., in front of the butt 123) ofthe rifle R, while the elbow and/or upper arm 51 is nestled and seatedin the non-collapsible central loop 34. The shooter's elbow 51 draws theforward strap 35 and the central loop 34 taut to steady the rifle R.With the rearward strap 30 rotated (with respect to the central loop 34and the rearward strap's position shown in FIGS. 4 and 6) as shown inFIG. 1, the rearward strap 30 is positioned out of the way of the user'selbow/upper arm 51, so that no tension is produced in the sling 10through contact with the user's mid-section. Further, in the position ofFIG. 1, the user may grasp the front portion of the forward strap 35, asshown, thus inducing tension therein to maintain the user's elbow 51 instable position.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to theembodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodimentswithin the scope of the following claims.

1. A rifle sling with stabilizing loop, comprising: a central loophaving a forward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portionbeing flexible and the rearward portion being substantially stiff; anelongate forward strap having opposed first and second ends, the firstend being adapted for releasable attachment to a forestock of a firearm,the second end being fixed to the forward portion of the central loop;and an elongate rearward strap having opposed first and second ends, thefirst end being adapted for releasable attachment to a butt of afirearm, the second end being slidably attached to the rearward portionof the central loop.
 2. The rifle sling as recited in claim 1, furthercomprising means for selectively adjusting the length of said forwardstrap.
 3. The rifle sling as recited in claim 1, further comprisingmeans for selectively adjusting the length of said rearward strap. 4.The rifle sling as recited in claim 1, wherein said central loop hassufficient stiffness to maintain an open, non-collapsed state,
 5. Therifle sling as recited in claim 1, wherein the rearward portion of saidcentral loop is formed from a material selected from the groupconsisting of leather cord, rubber, rope, and flexible plastic.
 6. Arifle sling with stabilizing loop, comprising: a central loop having aforward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portion beingflexible and the rear portion being substantially stiff, the centralloop having sufficient stiffness to maintain an open, non-collapsedstate; an elongate forward strap having opposed first and second ends,the first end being adapted for releasable attachment to a forestock ofa firearm, the second end being fixed to the forward portion of thecentral loop; and an elongate rearward strap having opposed first andsecond ends, the first end being adapted for releasable attachment to abutt of a firearm, the second end being slidably disposed on the rearportion of the central loop.
 7. The rifle sling as recited in claim 6,further comprising means for selectively adjusting the length of saidforward strap.
 8. The rifle sling as recited in claim 6, furthercomprising means for selectively adjusting the length of said rearwardstrap.
 9. The rifle sling as recited in claim 6, wherein the rearwardportion of said central loop is formed from a material selected from thegroup consisting of leather cord, rubber, rope, and flexible plastic.10. The rifle sling as recited in claim 6, wherein the rearward portionof said central loop is substantially arcuate.
 11. The rifle sling witha stabilizing loop as recited in claim 10, wherein the rearward portionof said central loop is substantially semi-circular.